For years, young tennis stars, often referred to as the ‘next generation’, have tried, with limited success, to end the dominance of the sport’s ‘Big Three’—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
The only breakthrough during this period came when Daniil Medvedev won the 2021 US Open, defeating one of the ‘Big Three’ along the way. However, on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Djokovic in the Wimbledon final could signal the long-awaited arrival of the next generation of tennis talent.
A lifelong dream! 🏆💚 You always have to believe! I'm only 20 years old, everything is happening too fast, but I'm very proud of how we work every day. Thank you everyone for your support, from the bottom of my heart! 🙌🏻😍 @Wimbledon
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) July 16, 2023
📸 Getty pic.twitter.com/MsdjFqBhiO
Roger Federer’s fourth-round Wimbledon victory over Pete Sampras in 2001 signaled the beginning of a new era, just as Alcaraz’s victory over Djokovic may have signaled the emergence of the next generation. Alcaraz believes that Djokovic’s aura of invincibility could crumble and pave the way for tennis’s younger stars to shine.
In an interview after the final, Alcaraz expressed, “It’s amazing for me to beat Novak at his best at this stage, to make history, to be the guy to beat him after 10 years on this court undefeated. It’s great for the new generation. Well, I think I’m going to see it hit and make them think they’re capable of doing it.”
Despite Alcaraz’s victory, Djokovic, at 36, has proven that he still has the skills to play the best tennis of his career. As Djokovic declared after his semifinal win, “36 is the new 26.” With his impressive form and relentless pursuit of success, Djokovic seems to have the potential to win multiple Grand Slam titles.
However, Alcaraz remains cautious about prematurely announcing a changing of the guard in tennis. When asked about it, he replied, “Honestly, I don’t know… Let’s talk about it in a few years. In the future, we can talk about it, but Right now, it’s not the right time.”
In the Wimbledon final, a key moment that affected the outcome of the match was Djokovic’s 26-minute service game in the third set, which Alcaraz eventually won. This particular game had 32 points, as many as in the entire first set, and included 13 deuces and seven break points. Alcaraz’s ability to dominate at this crucial stage showed his mental resilience despite being just 20 years old.
Carlos Alcaraz is often compared to Djokovic, Federer and Nadal in terms of his style of play. Djokovic himself admitted, “He has this mental flexibility and maturity for someone who is 20 years old… He has this Spanish bull mentality of competitiveness and fighting spirit. .. and I think he has some good sliding backhands that have some similarities with my backhand.”
While Djokovic plans to continue his tennis career, he recognizes the potential for a thrilling matchup with Alcaraz, who is top in the sport. As Djokovic expressed, “He’s going to be on tour for a long time… I hope we play at the US Open. Why not? I think it’s good for the game, another one in the world. Two facing each other. … Can’t be better for our game in general, so why not?”
